mekadag

Hi, Some of this advice seems so to do with class and getting to the right university to get here. This is simply not true in my case - I went back to uni and after many years gained a PhD from a 'ordinary' new university and had two job offers seven years ago and obtained a H1B visa and now have my green card. Most americans know little about the education system in england and why should they - there are many routes here so do not be disheartened after my initial thoughts about coming here it took years and i lived my life but when the opportunity came around i was there.
good luck - it's not a bed of roses here by any means but enjoy the experiences.
Julia

Bob

You weren't trying to get a job in forensics though were you, where generally the jobs are government based?

Makes a big difference.

FortyTwo25

Erm Í'll try again...If anybody could give me the type of companies I would be looking at to make use of the degree I'd be grateful.

penguinsix

What degree are we talking now? Forensics, psychology, or something else? Sorry I got a bit confused.

I think "Big Pharma" (what they call the major pharmaceutical companies) are often hiring, and there are also some interesting biotech companies developing doing some genetic research (Gentech, Human Genome Sciences, Celera). Those would be companies large and rich enough to sponsor, and some even have offices in the UK so you can enter there and seek a transfer

FortyTwo25

Sorry, Psychology

caleyjag

Wrong.

The big pharmas are shitting themselves right now over Obama's healthcare reforms, and the big ones not only have hiring freezes, but are actively shedding staff.

However the parts about them being rich enough to sponsor and having offices in the UK are accurate.

However the OP is so young that by the time he/she graduates, the landscape in pharma will look a lot different.

Incidetnally, my big-pharma lab is very hi-tech. I was thinking today that it does look like something out of CSI!

FortyTwo25

Ok so no..thanks I'll figure it out hopefully Google is my friend

The Horticulturalist

This might help:

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos056.htm#emply

I don't know what the others think, but looking through the list of typical employers for psychologists it doesn't look like the kind of job where you could get a visa very easily.

FortyTwo25

Hmm thanks it seems your right

caleyjag

I think you are a bit early in the game to be worrying about employers.

My gut feeling is that an education in psychology is probably the wrong way to go if you want to be going for an H1b visa, which is what it sounds like.

FortyTwo25

So your suggestion is something along the lines of Microbiology? etc

Bill_S

I'm not Caleyjag, but I think you shouldn't pick your education based on what might get you into the USA. I think you should pick something you want to do, and would be happy doing in the UK. If there turns out to be a path to another country, worry about that later. That's what I did - I had no plans to move to the US, but in grad school I happened to acquire skills and expertise that a US research lab needed when I was looking for my next move.

As for microbiology specfically, IMHO the only way to a visa would be with a Ph.D. and a good publication record. I doubt many American hospitals and diagnostic labs are looking abroad for candidates to fill routine staff positions.

caleyjag

Exactly. A deep, intrinsic interest in what you are studying is critical. I am including all of this in my article (half-written at the moment).

Publication record is something that is critical for some jobs (academic, gov research) but can be irrlevant in others, where it's really your technical expertise they are after (many areas of industry). I'm addressing all of this in my article.

FortyTwo25

Ok fair enough. I'll stick with the Psychology and hope that it brings me to the USA in years to come if it doesn't then I'll move somewhere else.

dunroving

I've heard American students express the opinion that a (US) undergraduate degree in psychology is the basic qualification for a job at McDonald's.

But of course, if you subsequently pursue a masters and PhD in psychology, you may well get a job in academia via the H1B route, training future McDonald's employees.

(said only semi-tongue-in-cheek)